shrimp

This pad thai recipe is a blend of different cultures. Made with easy-to-find ingredients, it’s a delicious dish with a sweet chili twist that makes it unlike any pad thai you’ll find in a restaurant. Check the recipe notes before you begin for some helpful hints.

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Turn off the heat and add the noodles. Stir and let soak for about 6 minutes, stirring halfway through. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again, return the noodles to the pot, and toss with 2 tsp. oil.

Whisk 3 tbsp. sugar into lime juice; set aside.

Cut 4 shrimp in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss with 1/8 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp, sugar. Arrange in a single layer on a plate. (Make sure the pieces are not touching or they will glue themselves together!) Microwave at 50 percent until the shrimp are dried and reduced in size by half, about 4-5 minutes.

Heat 1 tsp. oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add thin-sliced scallions (white and light green parts) and garlic. Cook about one minute and transfer to the large bowl.

Heat 2 tsp. oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add remaining shrimp (whole). Cook on one side for 1-2 minutes, then flip the shrimp and repeat on the other side. The shrimp should be brown around the edges and opaque.

Turn down the heat, push the shrimp to one side of skillet, and add the eggs to the other side. Using a heat-resistant spatula (silicone is perfect), stir the eggs gently until set, but still wet. Combine the shrimp and eggs, breaking up any large pieces, until the eggs are completely cooked, about 30-60 seconds. Transfer to the large bowl.

Heat 2 tsp. oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until oil is just smoking. Add the noodles and lime juice mixture to pan and cook until liquid is absorbed. Transfer to the large bowl.

Add drained radishes, scallion greens, reserved chile slices, and bean sprouts to the large bowl and toss to combine.

Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with peanuts for presentation or simply serve on individual plates.

Recipe Notes

Organization is key to making this dish smoothly. Ideally, you’ll have 8 small bowls and one large bowl. You’ll also need a large pot for the noodles and a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Prepare all of the vegetables first to make the assembly process easier. You’ll need small bowls for the chile, the radishes, shrimp, garlic, eggs, and peanuts (if using).

Ginger Chile sauce - this might be hard to find - we found one from The Ginger People that is a sweet and spicy marinade/sauce. We needed something that was both soy and gluten-free. If you don't have food allergies, about any sweet and spicy marinade/sauce should work.